CELLCEPT IV solution should not be given if you have an allergy to polysorbate 80.

you are pregnant

CELLCEPT is harmful to an unborn baby when taken by a pregnant woman.

There have been cases of miscarriage and severe birth defects reported when patients have taken CELLCEPT during pregnancy.

You must tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

you are breastfeeding

CELLCEPT may pass into human breast milk and could cause serious side effects in your baby if you breastfeed.

you are a woman who could become pregnant and you are not using two reliable forms of contraception

You must use two reliable forms of contraception at the same time before beginning CELLCEPT therapy, during therapy and for at least six weeks after stopping CELLCEPT, unless you are not sexually active.

The package is torn or shows signs of tampering

The expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack has passed.

If you take this medicine after the expiry date has passed it may not work as well.

If you are not sure whether you should start taking this medicine, talk to your doctor.

Before you start to take CELLCEPT

Tell your doctor if:

you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant

if you are a woman of child bearing potential, you must have two negative pregnancy tests 8-10 days apart just prior to starting treatment with CellCept.

repeat pregnancy tests will be performed during routine follow-up visits with your doctor.

you are breast feeding or plan to breast feed

you are a sexually active man

you are recommended to use condoms during treatment and for 90 days after stopping treatment, even if you have had a vasectomy.

your female partner(s) are recommended to use reliable contraception while you are being treated with CELLCEPT and for 90 days after you have stopped receiving CELLCEPT.

you have any other health problems, especially the following:

a history of sun spots or skin cancers

a history of low blood counts of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell)

a history of serious stomach or bowel problems (such as ulceration or bleeding)

rare diseases due to a deficiency of the HGPRT enzyme such as Lesch-Nyhan or Kelley-Seegmiller syndrome

kidney disease

phenylketonuria. You may not be able to take CELLCEPT oral suspension as it is a source of phenylalanine

you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes

If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you start taking CELLCEPT.

Taking other medicines

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you bought without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.

Some medicines and CELLCEPT may interfere with each other. These include:

azathioprine, tacrolimus and sirolimus, medicines used to suppress the immune system which can be used to prevent organ rejection after a transplant

How to take CELLCEPT

Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully. They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.

If you do not understand the instructions on the packet ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.

CELLCEPT infusion is only given in a hospital setting by specially trained doctors or nurses.

How much to take

Take CELLCEPT exactly as your doctor has prescribed. Your doctor will tell you how many CELLCEPT capsules or tablets or how much CELLCEPT suspension to take each day.

Your doctor will work out how much CELLCEPT infusion will be given to you.

CELLCEPT Capsules and TabletsThe dose to prevent organ rejection is usually 1g to 1.5 g in the morning and 1 g to 1.5 g at night (2 g to 3 g per day) depending on which organ has been transplanted.

CELLCEPT Suspension

AdultThe dose to prevent organ rejection is usually 2 g or 3 g per day depending on which organ has been transplanted. This should be taken as 5 mL or 7.5 mL in the morning and 5 mL or 7.5 mL at night using the oral dispenser provided.

ChildrenFor renal transplant only.For children 2 to 18 years of age, the dose to prevent organ rejection is dependent on the child's height and weight. The maximum dose is usually 1 g in the morning and 1 g at night (2 g daily).

CELLCEPT InfusionThe dose to prevent organ rejection is usually 2 g to 3 g per day depending on which organ has been transplanted.

Your doctor may adjust your dose depending on your response.

How to take it

CELLCEPT Capsules and TabletsSwallow the capsules or tablets whole with a full glass of water.

Do not crush tablets or open or crush capsules. If a capsule breaks open accidentally, wash any powder off your skin with soap and water.

CELLCEPT SuspensionShake the suspension well before you measure out your dose. Shaking the bottle will make sure that you get the correct dose.

Just before the suspension was given to you, water was added to the powder in the bottle. The bottle will only be about three-quarters full when you receive it.

After the addition of water, the amount of suspension that can be withdrawn from the bottle is 165 mL. However, each bottle will contain a little more than 165 mL to allow for the small amount of suspension that cannot be withdrawn from the bottle with the oral dispenser.

After each dose of the suspension have a glass of water.

If you accidentally spill the suspension on yourself, wash off any liquid thoroughly with soap and water.

CELLCEPT InfusionCELLCEPT is added to an infusion bag and given as a 'drip' into a vein, usually over a period of two or more hours.

It is only given in a hospital setting and doses are usually approximately 12 hours apart.

If contact with the infusion solution occurs, wash off any liquid thoroughly with soap and water.

When to take CELLCEPT

It is best to take doses of CELLCEPT capsules, tablets or suspension approximately 12 hours apart.

Take your medicine at about the same time each day. Taking CELLCEPT at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to take it.

How long to take CELLCEPT

CELLCEPT should be taken every day. It is important to keep taking CELLCEPT to ensure your new transplant keeps working properly.

Continue taking CELLCEPT for as long as your doctor tells you.

If you are receiving CELLCEPT infusion, your doctor will most likely change this medication to CELLCEPT capsules, tablets or suspension once you are able to take these.

If you forget to take CELLCEPT tablets, capsules or suspension

If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember and then go back to taking it as you would normally.

Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed.

If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.

If you take too much (overdose)

Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much CELLCEPT. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention.

While you are using CELLCEPT

Things you must do

If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking CELLCEPT.

Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who treat you that you are taking CELLCEPT.

If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you are taking this medicine. It may affect other medicines used during surgery.

Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking CELLCEPT. If you are a woman of child bearing potential, you must use two reliable forms of contraception at the same time before beginning CELLCEPT therapy, during therapy and for at least six weeks after stopping CELLCEPT, unless you are not sexually active.

If you are a sexually active male, you are recommended to use condoms during treatment and for 90 days after stopping treatment, even if you have had a vasectomy.

Your female partner(s) are recommended to use reliable contraception while you are being treated with CELLCEPT and for 90 days after you have stopped receiving CELLCEPT.

Tell your doctor if, for any reason, you have not taken your medicine exactly as prescribed. Otherwise, your doctor may think that it was not effective and change your treatment unnecessarily.

Tell your doctor if you feel your medicine is not helping your condition.

Be sure to keep all of your appointments with your doctor so that your progress can be checked. Your doctor will need to give you regular blood tests.

Wear protective clothing and broad-spectrum sunscreen when outdoors. Medicines that prevent the rejection of transplanted organs can increase the risk of skin cancers.

Things you must not do

Do not stop taking CELLCEPT or change the dose without first checking with your doctor.

Do not use CELLCEPT to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.

Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.

Do not let yourself run out of medicine over the weekend or on holidays.

Do not take any other medicines whether they require a prescription or not without first telling your doctor or consulting with a pharmacist.

Things to be careful of

Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how CELLCEPT affects you. However, CELLCEPT is not expected to affect your ability to drive a car or operate machinery.

Side effects

Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking CELLCEPT. This medicine helps most people who have organ transplants, but it may have unwanted side effects in some people.

All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects.

To stop you rejecting your organ, transplant medications reduce your body's own defence mechanisms. This means your body will not be as good at fighting infection. People receiving CELLCEPT therefore develop more infections than usual.

Patients who receive immunosuppressant medicines may also have a small increase in their risk of developing some types of cancer. You should discuss this with your doctor.

If you are over 65 years of age you may have an increase chance of side effects occurring due to immunosuppression.

Do not be alarmed by the following list of side effects. You may not experience any of them.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:

What CELLCEPT infusion looks like

CELLCEPT infusion is a sterile white to off-white powder in a clear glass vial. It will be made up into an infusion bag before being given to you. The solution in the infusion bag should be clear to slightly yellow.

Related information - CellCept Capsules

20 Jul2016 –
Information on medicines available in Australia containing mycophenolate mofetil, including our latest evidence-based information and resources for health professionals and consumers. The active ingredient is the chemical in a medicine that makes it work. Medicines that contain the same active ingredient can be available under more than one brand name. Brands include both active ingredients and inactive ingredients. You'll find information about brands of medicines that contain mycophenolate mofetil below, including their consumer medicine information (CMI) leaflets.

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A consumer medicine information (CMI) leaflet tells you about the side effects of a particular medicine, what it is used for and how to use it, and is written according to Australian government standards.

Reasonable care is taken to provide accurate information at the time of creation. This information is not intended as a substitute for medical advice and should not be exclusively relied on to manage or diagnose a medical condition. NPS MedicineWise disclaims all liability (including for negligence) for any loss, damage or injury resulting from reliance on or use of this information. Read our full disclaimer.